11 Symptoms Used to Diagnose Lupus

Anemia

Anemia, or an inadequate number of circulating red blood cells, is very common, especially in lupus’s target population: women. Iron deficiency anemia, for example, is frequently present during menstrual cycles. More specific to lupus, however, is a disorder called hemolytic anemia.

"It’s not just a low blood count. The condition is actively destroying the cells," explains Dr. Gilkeson, adding that certain lab tests can tell the types apart.